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Click above to purchase "Some Like It Hot Special Edition"
at amazon.com
Some Like It Hot
Special Edition
review by Anthony D. and Zach B.
Not Rated
Studio: MGM
Running Time: 122 minutes
Starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon,
George Raft, Pat O'Brien Joe E. Brown
Screenplay by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond
Directed by Billy Wilder
Retail Price: $24.98
Features: "Nostalgic Look Back" with Tony Curits and
Leonard Maltin, "Memories from the Sweet Sues" featurette,
"Virtual Hall Of Memories", Original Pressbook Gallery,
Theatrical Trailers
Specs: 1.66:1 Non-Anamorphic Widescreen, English 5.1
Dolby Surround, English Mono, French Mono, Spanish Mono,
French Subtitles, Spanish Subtitles, Chapter Search (16
Chapters)
In that tottering Mob-run town of Chicago, on a snowy
February day, in those Rip-Roaring Twenties, two down on
their luck musicians (one a saxophonist, the other plays
bass) witness the notorious St. Valentine's Day Massacre. A
mob hit in a garage, here initiated by 'Spats,' rather than
'Scarface' Al Capone. With a mob price on their heads, and
no musical work in Chicago, Jerry and Joe (Tony Curtis in
the career move of a lifetime) need to blow town with their
few resources: their instruments, and the bullet-ridden
cases those instruments are encased in. On the spur of a
moment, Jerry (the always brilliant Jack Lemmon) assures an
agent that to join a band with a Florida gig, they can dye
their hair blond, whatever it takes - - until the agent
announces that the gig is with Sweet Sue's Synchronaters, an
all-girl band! The very next day, two new blonds arrive at
the train depot - - Daphne and Josephine - - our heroes
disguised in delightful drag. 'Daphne and Josie' pass
themselves off as "Conservatory" girls to Sweet Sue (the
late, great Joan Shawlee), and the band's ulcer-bound
manager Beinstock (a great comedic turn from Dave Barry),
who are thankful for the stroke of luck that sent them the
musicians they needed.
Of course, posing as women, our heterosexual womanizers
are gonna have problems (other than the price on their
heads), and first and foremost is Sweet Sue's ukelele lady,
Sugar Kane - - Marilyn Monroe's finest work on screen.
Marilyn's Sugar is vulnerable, strong-willed and totally
dedicated to settling down with Mister Right. With a
tendency to end up with the fuzzy end of the lollipop in
relationships, Sugar hopes to find herself a millionaire
during their gig on Millionaire's Row in Florida.
Down among those sheltering palms, Sugar finds love, Joe
finds love and Jerry finds love, but all this love comes
from mistaken identities. Millionaire and momma's boy,
Osgood Fileding III (rubber-faced clown Joe E. Brown) falls
big time for "Daphne,' much to Jerry's chagrin. Joe of
course finds love with Sugar, but only through a clever
disguise as a Shell Oil millionaire. Sugar's seduction of
this Cary Grant-inflected Joe is a thoroughly delightful
scene, one of the finest pieces in director Billy Wilder's
long, brilliant career. Osgood buys trinkets for "Daphne,"
culminating with a proposal of marriage!
But life cannot always be a bed of potted palms - - the
mob shows up as a convention of Italian Opera lovers, and
recognize the bullet-ridden instrument cases of Joe and
Jerry. The goons want these guys rubbed out - - whether or
not they're in women's clothing is beside the point.
Poignantly, Joe's millionaire tells Sugar that he must go
away. Sugar takes the bandstand in an outpouring of emotion
sings a torch song guaranteed to bring a tear to the eye - -
if said eye can stop looking at the barely there Orry-Kelly
gown clinging to Sugar's frame. The battle of the sexes
rages while the mob men are pursued by the cops and after
many a laugh, the film fades out with the most memorable
closing line in comedy history. The line is "Well, nobody's
perfect;" and it's best not to say who delivers it and why
for the benefit of those who have yet to experience "Some
Like It Hot." Trust me, the last line will make you not only
laugh, but force you to rethink the two hours that came
before with a totally new outlook.
If there is any film that deserves a restoration, "Some
Like It Hot" tops the list. Sadly, however, in an age where
so many great, old movies become anamorphically encoded and
become cleaned up to look like new, "Some Like It Hot"
really looks it's age. The 1.66:1 non-anamorphic widescreen
transfer (grr) is pretty bad. Noise is consntantly seen
throughout it, not to mention the blemishes, grain and
scratches. Images do look faded at times. It's quite
disppointing to see such a great movie look so bad and not
be restored.
MGM has remixed the film in 5.1 surround and included the
original mono track (in English, French and Spanish). This
remix is essentially mono. Fidelity and directional range is
low and limited with this remix, and except for some things
here and there you won't really notice a difference. French
and Spanish subtitles are included.
MGM has released "Some Like it Hot" with a snazzy
assortment of extra features, worthy of any connoisseur's
palate. Diving right into the related features there is a
beautifully designed "Virtual Hall of Memories," set against
computer-generated red curtains, we float from Al Hirschfeld
caricatures into behind the scenes photos of Marilyn Monroe,
Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Billy Wilder. Each name has
their own framed Hirschfeld, and many of the photographs on
display are very rare. This gallery is an inspired creation,
mixing the publicity shots, on set photos with an abundance
of both color and glorious monochromatic images.
"Memories from the Sweet Sues" is a short reunion of
members of the All-Girl Band, there are four remaining
members, and each and every one is enthusiastic about their
roles in this contemporary classic.
"A Nostalgic Look Back" is quite a centerpiece, shot at
L.A.'s Formosa Restaurant (fandom will recognize it
immediately from its use in "L.A. Confidential), this
Leonard Maltin-hosted feature gives us a one-on-one
interview with film star Tony Curtis. Curtis is quite the
entertainer, too. Looking quite dapper in his 70's, Curtis
expounds the virtues of working with a director of Wilder's
caliber at that point in his career, lays aside the misquote
that kissing Marilyn was like kissing Hitler and confesses
that most of his work as "Josie" was dubbed by a voice
extra. Maltin is a good interviewer, presenting Curtis with
just the right questions that fans would want the answers
to.
The complete original press book is presented in gallery
form, with the much-needed option of enlargement for
virtually each frame.
"Some Like it Hot's" Original Theatrical Trailer is
presented as well, but, for Billy Wilder fans like me, MGM
has outdone themselves by including the theatrical trailers
for most of Wilder's post-"Some Like it Hot" films; and
although they are not in the best shape (dirt, scratches,
misframing) it gives hope that these titles are forthcoming
from MGM. In black and white there's 1960's Academy Award
Winning Best Picture, "The Apartment" and the much-maligned
Wilder sex farce "Kiss Me, Stupid." The color films
represented are Wilder's non-musical adaptation of the
musical hit "Irma La Douce," his dark comedy "Avanti," and
his neglected masterpiece "The Private Life of Sherlock
Holmes." I know that "The Apartment" is due soon, but the
presence of these trailers, gives hope that the rest of the
Wilder catalogue will soon follow.
Billy Wilder once again pushed the envelop of sexuality's
screen presentation with "Some Like It Hot." With his keen
eye for talent - - he used Marilyn for a second time,
despite her tardiness and lack of focus; and who else but
Wilder could have brought Tony Curtis to this level of
comedy? And of course, Lemmon began a long association with
Wilder on this film - - and his finely-tuned dialogue,
written with frequent collaborator I. A. L. Diamond, crafted
this film that holds the American Film Institute honored
position as being the favorite film comedy of all time. This
deluxe special edition from MGM proves that "Some Like It
Hot" is a film not just for yesterday, but for today and all
the tomorrows yet to come.
 (5/5 - NOT included in
final score)
 (2.5/5)
 (2/5)
 (3/5)
(3/5,
NOT an average)
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